Wall-Mounted Smart Switches and Outlets for Use in Building Wiring for Load Control, Home Automation, and/or Security Purposes

ABSTRACT

A plurality of nodes installed throughout a building each include a wall-mounted unit supported by an in-wall electrical box, a connection inside said in-wall electrical box between the wall-mounted unit and the building&#39;s mains-power wiring system, and a power line communications transceiver for communication with the other nodes through the mains-power wiring system. The nodes includes respective speakers, and are operable in a music playing mode in which music data is streamed over the mains-power wiring system to two or more nodes in different rooms of the building for simultaneous audio playback therein. The wall mounted unit includes a panel mounted over the in-wall electrical box and a plurality of light sources positioned to emit light from perimeter edges of the panel to provide a wall illumination effect on the wall surface surrounding the control panel and the electrical box.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 62/064,168, filed Oct. 15, 2014, the entirety ofwhich is incorporated herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to wall mounted switches andoutlets for controlling electrical loads that rely on mains powerdistributed thereto through concealed electrical wiring in the walls ofa building, and more particularly to smart switches and outlets that aresubstitutable for conventional mechanical switches and unswitchedsockets in retrofit applications to add extra features andfunctionality, and can also be easily installed using conventionalelectrical boxes for new installation applications.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known in the prior art to replace conventional mechanical lightswitches, e.g. toggle switches, with electronic alternatives in order toprovide additional functionality over the control of the light(s) orother load device(s) in the circuit wired to that switch. Examples ofsuch added functionality that can be incorporated with a retrofitelectronic switching device include touch-based or proximity-basedcontrol over the load circuit, remote control of the load circuit fromelsewhere in the same building, and incorporation of the switch devicesinto home-automation systems with various light settings that can beuser-activated or cycled on a programmed scheduled.

Such Home automation systems typically also provide climate control byautomatically controlling connected HVAC equipment, and have also beenknown to incorporate or cooperate with home security systems to provideintrusion detection and alarm activation. Known alarm systems alsoincorporate video capture functionality in order to record such anintrusion, for example to aid in criminal investigation of the event,and provide remote real-time notification to homeowners of such an eventvia mobile devices such as mobile phones and computer tablets.

Applicant has developed a unique system that, in one embodiment,incorporates all these functions, and more, and can be easilyretrofitted into an existing home to provide wall-mounted controlsconveniently located through the premises in a manner avoiding the needfor running new wiring and making use of existing electrical boxes tosupport the wall mounted controls without need for any drywall repair ofother customization of the wall space.

Numerous other advantages and unique aspects of the invention will bereadily appreciable from the further description and illustration of theinvention set out herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided anelectrical switch device for installation at an in-wall electrical boxfor control over one or more electrical loads of a building viaelectrical wiring of said building, the electrical switch devicecomprising:

-   -   a switch module comprising a housing sized and shaped to fit at        least partially within the in-wall electrical box, a plurality        of electrically controlled switches carried by the housing, and        a respective set of line and neutral contacts carried on the        housing for each of said plurality of electrically controlled        switches to enable connection of a different respective load        circuit across each of said plurality of electrically controlled        switches;    -   a control panel mountable over an open front of the in-wall        electrical box and the housing therein and having a        user-interface to enable operation of said control panel by a        user; and    -   a connection connectable between the control panel and the        switch module to enable transmission of signals from the control        panel to the switch module, including control signals operable        to control the plurality of electrically controlled switches of        the switch module;    -   wherein a size of the control panel is sufficient to fully cover        the open front of a multi-gang electrical box, whereby the same        switch module and control panel are usable with either a        single-gang or multi-gang electrical box without leaving any        portion of the open front of the single-gang or multi-gang        electrical box uncovered by said control panel.

In one embodiment, the plurality of electrically controlled switchescomprises four electrical switches and the control panel is sized tofull cover the open front of a four-gang electrical box.

In one embodiment, a front panel of the housing of the switch module hastwo sets of socket openings therein, each set of socket openings beinglaid out according to an electrical pin or blade layout of a standardelectrical plug and the sets of line and neutral contacts includes arespective pair of line and neutral contacts positioned behind twoopenings of each of said two sets of socket openings so that insertionof pins or blades of a standard electrical plug into said two openingsof either set of socket openings will connect said standard electricalplug to one of the plurality of electrically controlled switches.

In one embodiment, the user interface of the control panel is at leastpartially defined at a front face of the control panel that faces awayfrom the electrical box when mounted thereover, and comprises a displayscreen and a pair of touch panels respectively disposed opposite oneanother across the display screen, each touch panel being operable tocontrol a respective one of the plurality of switches.

Preferably the housing of the switch module is sized and shaped to placea majority of the housing inside the electrical box with a front portionof the housing jutting through the open front of the electrical box, thecontrol panel comprises a recess in a rear face thereof that facestoward the electrical box when mounted thereover, and the recess in therear face of the control panel is sized and shaped to matingly fit overthe front portion of the housing that juts through the open front of theelectrical box.

Preferably the connection comprises male and female connectors onopposite ones of the switch module and the control panel in alignedpositions at the front portion and recess thereof so as to couple saidmale and female connectors together under mating receipt of the frontportion of the module in the recess of the control panel.

Preferably the housing of the switch module comprises airflow openingsthereon at the front portion of the housing and the control panelcomprises airflow openings thereon at the recess, and airflow openingsin the housing and the control module are placed in fluid communicationwith one another under mating receipt of the front portion of the modulein the recess of the control panel.

Preferably the airflow openings on the housing of the switch modulecomprises first and second sets of airflow openings that are disposed onopposing sides of the front portion of said housing and fluidlycommunicate with one another through an interior space of said housing,the airflow openings on the control panel comprise third and fourth setsof airflow openings that are disposed on opposing sides of the recess insaid control panel, and the control panel further comprises fifth andsixth sets of airflow openings thereon at opposing perimeter edges ofthe control panel, the fifth and sixth sets of airflow openings beingfluidly communicated with the third and fourth sets of airflow openingsthrough an interior space of the control panel, whereby the airflowopenings of the housing and control panel define an airflow cooling pathpassing fully through both said housing and control panel.

In one embodiment, the control panel comprises a power supply forconverting AC mains power to DC power, and the connection between theswitch module and the control panel includes a power connection forproviding AC power to the control module.

In one embodiment, the control panel comprises light sources operable toemit light from perimeter edges of the control panel to provide a wallillumination effect on a wall surface surrounding the control panel andthe electrical box.

In one embodiment, the control panel comprises a microphone operable tocapture audible events including voice recognition commands and audiblehome intrusion events, and wherein the control panel comprises a localprocessor and local non-transitory computer readable memory coupledthereto on which statements and instructions are stored for execution bythe processor in order to process captured audio and identify said voicerecognition commands and audible home intrusion events from saidcaptured audio.

In one embodiment, the control panel comprises at least one sensoroperable to detect home intrusion events, and wherein the control panelcomprises a local processor and local non-transitory computer readablememory coupled thereto on which statements and instructions are storedfor execution by the processor in order to process signals from said atleast one sensor, and in response to a detected home intrusion event,activate a local camera on said control panel to record video and/orimages of a local environment of the control panel, and activate atleast one of the electronically controlled switches.

The electrical switch device may be used in combination with a separateroom illumination device electrically wired to said one of theelectronically controlled switches such that activating said one of theelectronically controlled switches activates said room illuminationdevice.

The electrical switch device may be used in combination with anadditional electrical switch device, the control panel being arranged tosend out an alarm signal for triggering at least one of theelectronically controlled switches of said additional electrical switchdevice.

The electrical switch device may be used with a central controller towhich both of said electrical switch devices are connected, each of saidelectrical switch devices being arranged to send the alarm signal to thecentral controller, which in turn signals the other of said electricalswitch devices to activate at said least one of the electronicallycontrolled switches of said additional electrical switch device.

Preferably said electrical switch devices are arranged to communicatethe alarm signals via power line communication through power lines towhich the switch modules of both of said electrical switches devices areconnected.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided asystem comprising a plurality of electrical switch devices of theforgoing type prescribed by the first aspect of the invention, whereineach electrical switch device comprises a power line communicationstransceiver carried by the housing and connected to power lineconnection terminals also carried by the housing to enable receipt andtransmission of power line communications by each of the plurality ofelectrical switch devices, and wherein each electronically controlledswitch in each electrical switch device has an address or identifier bywhich incoming power line communications received by the power linecommunications transceiver of said electrical switch can identify a oneof said electronically controlled switches in said electrical switchdevice to which an incoming command is to be applied in order to have aneffect on an electrical load that is coupled to said one of saidelectronically switches via the line and neutral contacts of saidelectrical switch device.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a methodof retrofitting an electrical system of a building comprising installinga respective electrical switch device of the forgoing type prescribed bythe first aspect of the invention at every one of a plurality ofexisting in-wall electrical boxes that include electrical boxes ofdifferent gang sizes, and in doing so, installing identical switchmodules containing a same number of electronically controlled switchesin a number of in-wall electrical boxes of different gang sizes.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided asecurity system for a building, the security system comprising:

-   -   a plurality of nodes installed at various locations throughout        the building;    -   each node comprising:        -   a wall-mounted unit supported by an in-wall electrical box            of a mains-power wiring system of the building;        -   a connection inside said in-wall electrical box between the            wall-mounted unit and said mains-power wiring system of the            building;        -   a power line communications transceiver by which the node            can communicate with the other nodes of the system through            said connection to the mains-power wiring system of the            building;        -   at least sensor operable to detect home intrusion events;    -   wherein each node is configured to, in response to a detection        of a home intrusion event by said node, activate a local        alarm-responsive action at said node that detected the home        intrusion event, and also send out an alarm signal via said        power line communications transceiver for triggering additional        alarm-responsive actions at said other nodes.

Preferably at least one of the nodes comprises a local camera on saidwall mounted unit to record video and/or images of a local environmentin which the wall mounted unit resides, and said one of the nodes isconfigured to activate the local camera thereof in response to detectionof a home intrusion event by said one of the nodes, and also in responseto receipt of the alarm signal from any other node.

Preferably the at least one sensor of each node comprises a microphonefor detecting audible home intrusion events, and each node is configuredto record audio from said microphone in response to detection of a homeintrusion event by said node, and also in response to receipt of thealarm signal from any other node.

Preferably at least some of the nodes comprises at least one switch towhich a lighting device is connected for powering of said lightingdevice by the mains-power wiring of the building when said switch isactivated, and each of said at least some of the nodes is configured toactivate said switch in response to detection of a home intrusion eventby said node.

In one embodiment, each of said at least some of the nodes is configuredto also activate said switch in response to receipt of the alarm signalfrom any other node.

Preferably each node comprises a module that is mounted to theelectrical box, said module comprising the power line communicationtransceiver and defining the connection to the mains-power wiring insidethe electrical box, and wherein the wall-mounted unit comprises the atleast one sensor, is mounted indirectly to the electrical box by themodule, and is powered by said module.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a wallmountable security system device comprising:

-   -   at least one bracket fastenable to an in-wall electrical box of        a mains-power wiring system of a building to support the device        on said in-wall electrical box;    -   wire connection terminals for establishing connections to power        lines of said mains-power wiring system of the building;    -   a power line communications transceiver by which the device can        communicate with the other like devices through said power        lines;    -   at least sensor operable to detect home intrusion events; and    -   a local processor and computer local readable memory coupled        thereto on which statements and instructions are stored for        execution by the processor in order to process signals from said        at least one sensor, and in response to a detected home        intrusion event, activate a local alarm-responsive action of        said device and send out an alarm signal via said power line        communications transceiver for triggering additional        alarm-responsive actions by said other like devices.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided anelectronic system for use in a building, the electronic systemcomprising:

-   -   a plurality of nodes installed at various locations throughout        the building;    -   each node comprising:        -   a wall-mounted unit supported by an in-wall electrical box            of a mains-power wiring system of the building;        -   a connection inside said in-wall electrical box between the            wall-mounted unit and said mains-power wiring system of the            building;        -   a power line communications transceiver by which the node            can communicate with the other nodes of the system through            said connection to the mains-power wiring system of the            building;        -   a microphone operable to capture audible events.

Preferably each node is operable to detect verbal commands from amongthe audible events captured by the microphone, and to perform aresponsive action based on said verbal commands, whereby verbal controlover output actions of the system is enabled from each and every room ofthe building in which one or more of the nodes are installed.

Preferably each node is operable to detect home intrusion events fromamong the audible events captured by the microphone, and to activatealarm signals in response to said detected home intrusion events.

Preferably each node is configured to transmit alarm signals to saidother nodes in response to said home instruction events and therebytrigger alarm responsive events at said other said other nodes.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided anelectronic system for use in a building, the electronic systemcomprising:

-   -   a plurality of nodes installed at various locations throughout        the building;    -   each node comprising:        -   a wall-mounted unit supported by an in-wall electrical box            of a mains-power wiring system of the building;        -   a connection inside said in-wall electrical box between the            wall-mounted unit and said mains-power wiring system of the            building;        -   a power line communications transceiver by which the node            can communicate with the other nodes of the system through            said connection to the mains-power wiring system of the            building; and        -   at least one speaker;    -   wherein the nodes are operable in a music playing mode in which        music data is streamed over the mains-power wiring system to the        power line communications transceivers of two or more nodes in        different rooms of the building for simultaneous audio playback        in said different rooms through the speakers of said two or more        nodes.

According to an eighth aspect of the invention, there is providedelectrical lighting device for installation at an in-wall electricalbox, the electrical lighting device comprising:

-   -   a mounting unit arranged for coupling to the in-wall electrical        box;    -   a panel mountable over an open front of the in-wall electrical        box and the mounting unit coupled thereto; and    -   a plurality of light sources carried by the panel and positioned        to emit light from perimeter edges of the panel to provide a        wall illumination effect on a wall surface surrounding the        control panel and the electrical box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a switch module of the presentinvention, whose housing is small enough for mounting in a single-gangin-wall electrical box while containing four electronically controlledswitches that can replace up to four conventional mechanical switches.

FIG. 2 is a rear/side perspective view of the switch module of FIG. 1,which includes wire connection terminals through which up to four loadcircuits can be connected, and by which the module is connectable withina power line communications network featuring additional switch modules.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a switchable socket module of thepresent invention, which features two sockets by which the plugs of twoconventional power cords can be connected to two electronicallycontrolled switches inside the module.

FIG. 4 is a rear/side perspective view of the socket module of FIG. 2,which features the same power line communication terminals as the switchmodule of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a touch screen control panel thatis matable with the switch module of FIG. 1 to support the control panelthereon in a wall-mounted that conceals the drywall opening in which theelectrical box is mounted.

FIG. 6 is perspective view of a rear face of the touch screen controlpanel of FIG. 5, which features a rectangular recess for matinglyfitting over a front end of the switch module that juts out from theelectrical box in order to carry the control panel in the wall mountedposition and establish a communication and power connection between theswitch module and control panel via mating connectors thereon.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a socket control panel that ismatable with the switchable socket module of FIG. 3 to support thecontrol panel in a wall-mounted position concealing the drywall openingin which the electrical box is mounted.

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of the socket control panel of FIG. 7,which features the same recess and connector as the touch screen controlpanel of FIG. 6 for similar mounting of the socket control panel on thesocket module of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an electronic switch module 10 of the present inventionthat mounts in a conventional in-wall electrical box, for example inplace of a conventional mechanical switch previously mounted therein. Acontrol panel, such as that shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 mates with theelectronic switch module in manner both mechanically supporting thecontrol panel thereon and establishing a power and communication linkbetween the panel and the switch module, whereby the control panelenables user control over one or more electrical loads (e.g. lightingfixtures, exhaust fans, or other permanently-wired household fixtures)that are wired to the switch module 10 during installation of themodule.

The switch module 10 features an outer housing 12, inside of which thereare contained four electronically controlled switches, a power supplyfor converting AC mains power to DC power for operating the switchmodule components, a power line communications transceiver, powermetering components, a first processor operatively connected to thepower line communications transceiver to process incoming signalsreceived at the transceiver and transmit outgoing signals from thetransceiver, and a second processor operatively connected to the powermetering components to monitor power consumption by any load circuitthat is connected to the four electronically control switches.

The illustrated housing features a planar vertical rear panel 14, awider planar vertical front panel 16 of equal height lying parallel andopposite thereto, and planar horizontal top and bottom panels of equalsize and shape interconnecting the front rear housing panels 14, 16. Thetop and bottom housing panels, of which only the top panel 18 is visiblein the drawings, are generally T-shaped due to the wider configurationof the housing 12 at its front end than its opposing rear end, whichtherefore also gives the overall housing a generally T-shaped structurein plan view. As a result, each side of the housing 12 is divided intotwo planar vertical side panels, specifically a front side panel 20connected perpendicularly to the front panel 16 and a rear side panel 22connected perpendicularly to the rear panel 14. As shown, the top andbottom housing panels are perforated with arrays of holes covering asubstantial area of each, as are the rear side panels and the rearpanel, in order to form airflow openings by which air can flow throughthe housing in different directions to cool the electronic componentscontained therein.

An upper mounting bracket 24 stands perpendicularly upright from the tophousing panel 18 at the crossing portion of its T-shape in a verticalplane parallel to that of the front housing panel 16 at a distance set ashort distance back therefrom. A matching lower mounting bracket 26reaches perpendicularly downward from the bottom housing panel at aposition matching that of the upper bracket 24. Each bracket 24, 26 hasa slot-shaped through-hole 27 of horizontally elongated shape, throughwhich the brackets 24, 26 can be screwed to the pair of upper and lowerscrew holes situated above and below a mounting space of a conventionalelectrical box at the open front thereof.

The distance from the plane of the mounting brackets 24, 26 to that ofthe rear panel 14 is less than the depth of a standard sized single-gangelectrical box, and the distance between the two front side panels islikewise less than the width of a standard sized single-gang electricalbox. Accordingly, when the brackets 24, 26 are fastened to the screwsholes of the electrical box, the substantially majority of the housing12 spanning rearwardly from the mounting tabs 24, 26 will reside withinthe interior space of the electrical box. In this mounted position ofthe switch module 10, a front portion 28 of the housing 12 spanningforwardly from the plane of the mounting tabs 24, 26 juts a shortdistance out of the electrical box through the open front thereof. Theairflow openings in the top and bottom housing panels include an arrayof airflow openings 30 situated in front of the mounting tabs 24, 26 atthis front portion 28 of the housing 12.

The switch module 20 is thus mountable in a single-gang electrical box,but can likewise be mounted at a single gang site of a multi-gangelectrical box. As the switch module 20 contains four electronicswitches, a single switch module 20 can be mounted in a one-gang,two-gang, three-gang or four-gang in order to take the place of one,two, three or four conventional mechanical switches without any loss ofload handling capability or switching functionality. That is, in theevent that an existing four-gang box contained four mechanical switches,each controlling a respective load circuit wired to that particularswitch, mounting of a single switch module 10 of the present inventionat one of the four available gang spaces in the four-gang electrical boxallows those same four load circuits to be connected to the switchmodule for control of these circuits via the four electronic switchesinside the module 20. In preferred embodiment, each electronic switchpreferably includes a dimming function, whereby dimming functionality ofa light fixture is maintained if it was previously wired to aconventional dimming switch. In addition, the installation of the moduleadds the dimming functionality to a light that was previously wired onlyto a basic on-off toggle switch. Known dimmable electronic switchcircuits using gate-controlled TRIACs or MOSFETS can be employed for theelectronic switches of the present invention, which are therefore notdetailed further herein.

To enable connection of the load circuits, the front side panel 20 onone side of the housing 12 features a series of exposed connectionterminals arranged vertically therealong near the rear edge thereof soas to reside behind the mounting straps 24, 26. This way, the connectionterminals and any wires connected thereto remain safely inside theinterior space of the electrical box when the switch module is mountedthereto. The connection terminals are grouped into visually distinctclusters or groups, for example each defined by a respective terminalblock. One terminal block 32 features four ‘load’ terminals forconnecting a wire from each electronic switch out to a respective loadcircuit, and another four-terminal block 34 likewise provide four‘return’ terminals for connecting the return wire from each load circuitto the respective electronic switch inside the housing. Another terminalblock 36 features two terminals for connection of one or two ‘neutral’wires, and a second two-terminal block 38 features two terminals forconnection of one or two ‘line’ or ‘hot’ wires. If the switch module isthe only module on a branch circuit of a circuit breaker panel, thenonly one ‘neutral’ wire and one ‘line’ wire are connected. To installanother switch module on the same circuit, then the second pair of‘neutral’ and ‘line’ terminals are employed to connect the second moduleto the circuit breaker panel in parallel with the first switch module.The line and neutral connections provide the input to the switchmodule's DC power supply that powers the switch module's internalcomponents, and connect across the four parallel electronic switches inorder to provide AC power to any load circuit connected to the module.The line and neutral connections also enable transmission and receipt ofpower line communication signals by the switch module 10. A final singleterminal block 40 defines a ground or earth terminal of the switchmodule.

A female connection port 42 is left open at the otherwise rectangularfront panel 16 of the switch module housing 12 so that an array ofcontact pins in the female connection port can be engaged with thecontacts of a mating male connector on the control panel in order toestablish a power and communication connection between the switch moduleand the control panel via mating of these connectors. The electroniccomponents of the control panel are powered from the DC power supply ofthe switch module through this connection, which also enables signalsfrom the control panel to control the four electronic switches of theswitch module 10 through this connection.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a touch screen control panel 50 for use with theswitch module 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2. With particular reference to FIG. 5,a generally rectangular planar front face 52 of the control panel facesaway from the switch module and the electrical box in which the switchmodule is mounted when the control panel 50 is installed. The front facefeatures a centrally positioned touch-screen display 54, an uppertouch-pad 56 residing above the touch-screen 54 and spanning the widthof the front face 52 along the upper edge thereof, and a matching lowertouch-pad 58 residing below the touch-screen 54 and spanning the widthof the front face 52 along the upper edge thereof.

Turning to FIG. 6, a generally rectangular planar rear face 62 of thecontrol panel 50 lies parallel to the front face. As shown, the rearface 62 may be slightly smaller in width and height than the front face,with the enclosure or casing of the thickness of the control panel thusbeing divided into a front portion of slightly greater circumferentialor peripheral size than the rear portion. The four perimeter edges ofthe control panel's front portion feature slot-shaped airflow openings60 extending therealong The four perimeter edges of the control panel'srear portion, which are set back slightly inward from the perimeteredges of the larger front portion, each feature a series of multi-colourLED units 64 set therein at equally spaced intervals around theperiphery of the rear portion of the control panel to provide outwardlyradiating light from the rear portion of the control panel enclosure.When the control panel is installed, these LED units 64 provide ambientlighting effects on the wall surface over which the control panel ismounted.

The processor of the control panel may execute pre-programmed,user-programmed or user-customizable wall lighting routines in which thedifferent LED units are activated and deactivated, and/or varied inoutput lighting colour and/or output light intensity (or brightness) insequential, random or other patterns to create a dynamic lightingeffect, as an alternative to static ambient lighting. One exampleincludes a ‘sunrise’ lighting effect, in which all LED units areactivated in a same colour, and gradually increase in output intensityso that the annular casting of light on the wall around the controlpanel gradually increases in diameter. This may include variation of thecolour (e.g. temperature) as the intensity or brightness is increased.The sunrise lighting effect may be incorporated into a wake-up alarmroutine, accompanied by playback of audio signals (e.g. music) throughthe local speakers of the control panel (as discussed in more detailbelow) in a manner gradually increasing the volume of the audio as thelight intensity is likewise increased over time. Another lighting effectis a ‘northern lights’ effect with a colour variation display in whichin which all the LEDs are illuminated in an initial first colour, andthen moving sequentially around the control panel in one or bothdirections, are changed to another output colour, whereby a ring ofcolour lighting washed onto the wall around the control panel graduallychanges from one colour to another as an arc of one colour graduallygrows in circumferential span around the control panel, while the arc ofthe previous colour gradually reduces in circumferential span around thecontrol panel.

A recessed area 66 in the otherwise planar rear face 62 of the controlpanel 50 features a main rectangular area 68 whose dimensions aregenerally equal or slightly greater than the rectangular dimensions ofthe front panel 16 of the switch module. As a result, the recessed area66 of the control panel's rear face 62 can be matingly fitted over thefront portion 28 of the switch module 10 that juts forwardly out of theopen front of the electrical box at the finished interior surface of thedrywall or other finishing material of the wall in which the electricalbox resides.

The front portion of the switch module 10 thus reaches into the roomfrom the drywall in order to form a mounting feature on which thecontrol panel can be hung. Suitable mechanical interlock means arepreferably defined between the recess of the control panel and matingfront portion of the switch to provide secure, confident retention ofthe control panel on the switch module when the male front end of theswitch module is fitted into the female recess at the rear of thecontrol panel. Smaller recesses 70 of lesser width and depth than themain rectangular area 68 of the recess extend upward and downwardtherefrom, and are sized to fit over the mounting tabs 24, 26 of theswitch module 10 when the control panel 50 is mounted thereon. As aresult, the rear face 62 of the control panel 50 fits flush against thedrywall or other finished surface of the wall around the electrical boxin order to fully conceal the electrical box and the switch modulebehind the control panel.

A male connector 72 is situated in the main rectangular recess 68 at aposition therein that self-aligns and mates with the female port 42 atthe front panel 16 of the switch module 10 when the recess 66 is fittedover the protruding front portion 28 of the switch module 10. This way,the power and communication connection between the switch module and thecontrol panel is automatically established by placement of the controlpanel onto the switch module without need for separate connection of acable during the installation process. Although described as beinggenerally T-shaped due to its wider front end than rear end, the frontpanel 16 of the switch module 10 is not symmetrical in terms of itslateral reach, instead jutting further to one side of the housing thanthe other. In the instance of the illustrated embodiment, the frontportion of the housing reaches further outward at the terminal-equippedside of the housing 12. The mounting brackets 24, 26 are not centeredacross the width of the front panel 16 of the switch module housing, andthe mounting bracket recesses 70 of the control panel are likewiseoffset from the center of the main rectangular recess 68. This way, thecontrol panel can only fit onto the switch module 10 in a properright-side-up orientation, thereby ensuring the alignment and connectionbetween the communication and power connection features 42, 72 bypreventing sliding of the touchscreen onto the switch module in theimproper orientation.

The peripheral size of the control panel 50, even at the smaller rearhalf thereof, exceeds that of a standard four-gang electrical box,whereby the surface area of the control panel 50 will completely coverthe open front of any conventional one-gang, two-gang, three-gang orfour-gang electrical box. To such end, the control preferably measures aminimum of 8-centimeters high by 19-centimeters wide. Accordingly, withthe switch module 10 mounted in any existing electrical box, no separatecover-panel or finishing-panel is required to provide a clean, finishedappearance, as the opening in the drywall around the existing electricalbox is fully concealed behind the control panel 50. Due to theoverhanging position of the switch module, in which its front portionjuts out past the drywall or other finished surface of the wall, thecontrol panel is flush mounted against the wall without requiring anyintermediate bracket or support between the box-mounted switch module 10and the control panel 50. Also, no enlargement of the existing drywallopening is required to accommodate this flush-mount condition of thecontrol panel. Retrofit installation at an existing switch site is thusgreatly simplified, requiring only deactivation of the respectivecircuit breaker at the panel, removal of the existing switch's coverplate, removal of the existing switch and disconnection thereof from theexisting building wiring, connection of the building wiring to theswitch module 10, fastening of the switch module to the electrical box,and simple male/female mating of the control panel to the switch module.The process is the same, regardless of the number of switches beingreplaced in the electrical box, as only one switch module unit needs tobe installed, even if two, three or four mechanical switches are beingreplaced in the same gang box.

The airflow slots 60 in the perimeter edges of the control panel 50 arein fluid communication with one another through the interior space ofthe control panel's enclosure to enable airflow therethrough. Likewise,the array of airflow holes 30 in the top panel 18 of the switch modulehousing 12 are in fluid communication with those of the opposing bottompanel of the switch module housing 12. In addition, an array of airflowholes 74 is provided in each of the top wall and bottom wall 68 a of themain rectangular recess 68 at the rear of the control panel 50. Theairflow holes 74 in the bottom wall of the recess 68 are in fluidcommunication with at least the airflow slots of the bottom perimeteredge of the control panel enclosure, and the airflow holes (not shown)in the top wall of the recess 68 are in fluid communication with atleast the airflow slots of the top perimeter edge of the control panelenclosure 50. As a result, the airflow openings in the control panel andthe switch module provide a through-flow air passage passing fullythrough both the control panel and the switch module when assembled.This helps cool the electronic components of the switch module that isotherwise substantially enclosed by the electrical box and overlyingcontrol panel. A fan may be incorporated into one or both components asa forced air cooling means to encourage airflow through the assembledunits via this flow-through air passage.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a switchable outlet or socket module 10′ of same sizeand shape as the switch module 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 for mounting to asingle-gang electrical box in the same manner as the switch module, butas a replacement for a conventional electrical outlet instead of as areplacement for a conventional mechanical switch. The housing 12′ of theoutlet or socket module 10′ is of the substantially the sameconfiguration, except that a reduced number of connection terminals areincluded, and the front panel 16 of the housing features two sets ofsocket openings 80 therein.

Inside the housing, the outlet or socket module 10′ differs from theswitch module 10 in that it features only two electrically controlledswitches (e.g. gate-controlled TRIACs) and associated power meteringcomponents. Instead of having load and return terminal blocks 32, 34 foruse in connecting permanently wired fixtures to the electronic switches,each electronic switch instead has a respective pair of neutral and hotcontacts respectively disposed behind the two blade-shaped openings 80a, 80 b of one of the two sets of socket openings 80. This way, pluggingthe two blades of a conventional electrical plug into the blade shapedopenings 80 a, 80 b of the socket module 50′ will electrically connectthe plug-equipped device or appliance to the respective electronicswitch of the socket module. Each set of socket openings 80 is completedby a ground pin opening 80 c for receiving the ground pin of aconventional three-pin grounded plug. Although the illustratedembodiment features blade shaped socket openings for the flat,blade-like shape of standard North American 120V plugs, it will beappreciate that other standard plug/socket layouts and shapes may beemployed, for example according to national or regional standards usedin other jurisdictions.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a socket control panel 50′ sharing many features ofthe touch screen control panel 50 of FIGS. 5 and 6. Unlike the userinterface of the touch-screen panel 50, which features both atouch-screen and two touch pads, the user interface of the socketcontrol panel 50′ has only the two touch pads 56, 58 and no touchscreen. The central area of the front face 52′ of the socket controlpanel 50′ instead features two sets of socket openings 82 therein, whichpass through into the main rectangular recess 68 in the rear face 62 ofthe socket control panel 50′. The socket control panel 50′ and thesocket module 10′ fit together in the same manner as the touch-screencontrol panel 50 and switch module 10, and cooperate in a similar mannerto provide control over the switchable on/off state of the electronicswitches inside the module housing 12′. The socket openings 82 in thesocket control panel align with the socket openings 80 in the socketmodule to allow the blades or pins of an electrical plug to reachthrough the aligned openings into engagement with the contacts in thesocket module.

As the socket module 10′ is intended only as a replacement for aconventional electrical outlet mounted in a single-gang electrical box,the socket control panel 50′ may be of a smaller footprint than thetouch-screen control panel 50 that is compatible with multi-gangelectrical boxes. Accordingly, the size of the socket control panel maybe smaller, so long as it is sufficient to fully and confidently conceala single-gang electrical box, the drywall opening cut therearound, andthe socket module 10′ mounted to the electrical box.

In addition to the electronic switches, touch panels, touch screen andwall effect surround LEDs, additional built in components of the touchscreen control panel 50 of the preferred embodiment also include acamera that faces outward from the panel to capture video and/or stillimages of the environment in which the panel is installed, a microphonefor detecting and recording audible events, at least one speaker (andpreferably a pair of stereo speakers) for outputting audio, a wirelesstransceiver (e.g. WiFi or Bluetooth), and sensors for detectingenvironmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, light,movement/proximity, carbon monoxide levels. Aside from its lack of atouch screen, the socket control panel 50′ may be comparably equipped tothe touch-screen panel. In one embodiment, the socket control panel 50′lacks the camera device and associated video/image capture functionalityof the touch screen control panel. The illustrated embodiments of thesocket control panel 50′ features a charging port 84 in the topperipheral edge of the panel, preferably in the form of a UniversalSerial Bus (USB) port in order to define a relatively universal chargerthan can be used on any of a variety of consumer electronics (e.g.mobile phones, music players, etc.) whose batteries can be chargedthrough the USB port of a desktop or laptop computer. The charging port84 is powered from the AC/DC power supply in the socket module 10′, andprovides a continuously available charging source regardless of theparticular switched state of the electronically-switched AC sockets 80of the socket module.

Software of the control panel features statements and instructionsstored locally on a local non-transitory computer readable medium withinthe control panel enclosure for execution by one of the processors ofthe touch screen panel. The software is operable to present an on-screentouch-operated user interface forming part of a larger overall userinterface that includes the upper and lower touch pads 56, 58. The userinterface is and is operable to control each electronic switch of theswitch module on which the touchscreen is mounted.

The on-screen display may present a visual representation of amechanical on/off toggle or rocker switch, or sliding or rotary dimmingswitch, for each and every electronic switch of the switch module.Alternatively, such an on-screen representation may be display only fora select one or more of the electronic switches of the switch module,for example those to which an electrical load has been coupled. In oneembodiment, each switch representation or ‘virtual switch’ may comprisea bound rectangular area in the foreground of the display that isvisually distinct from an underlying background colour of the on-screendisplay. A fill-colour of the rectangular area changes between onecolour (e.g. red or orange) that represents an ‘on’ state of therespective electronic switch, and a different colour (e.g. black orgrey) that represents an ‘off’ state of the respective electronicswitch. Touching the respective rectangular area of the screen switchesthe state of the electronic switch between the ‘on’ and ‘off’ state. Anon-screen dimmer representation may likewise feature a bound rectangulararea, with graduations marked along one or both vertical sides thereof.In such instance, sliding one's fingertip up or down the rectangulararea adjusts a dimming level of the electronic switch. The colour, hueor intensity of the bound rectangular area of the dimmer representationmay change with the dimming level as the user's operates the touch-basedadjustment. The programming mode preferably enables user-specified namesto be assigned to each electronic switch, for example according to theparticular load(s) connected thereto, e.g. “kitchen light”, “bathroomlight”, etc. On the display screen of the touch-screen control panel,the name of the electronic switch or load can then be displayed at anyone or more of the virtual switches assigned to that load.

Each touch pad 56, 58 may be operable to control a respective electronicswitch of the switch module, for each with a simple ‘single touch’gesture switching between the ‘on’ and ‘off’ state, and a sliding orwiping gesture in opposing directions along the length direction of thestrip being operable to control to increase and decrease the level ofthe dimming function. In a user-customization or programming mode, theuser-interface may allow the user to specify which one of the electronicswitches of the switch module is assigned to each of the two touch pads56, 58.

With power-line communication available between different switchmodules, the user-customization or programming mode of the touch screeninterface may allow the user to assign the output of an on-screenvirtual switch at the control panel of one switch module, to anelectronic switch of one of the other switch modules. Accordingly,addressable electronic switches are used to allow such remote control ofone switch module from the control panel of another module. Likewise,the two electronic switches of the socket module 10′ may be controlledremotely from the touch-screen module 54. In one embodiment, a system ofthe present invention may employ only a single touch-screen controlpanel 50, and instead employ a simplified control panel lacking thetouch-screen 54 at each other switch module. This simplified panel maytherefore be more comparable in structure and operation to the socketcontrol panel 50′, but without the socket openings 82. In otherembodiments, more than one touch-screen control panel may be deployedthroughout the system.

In embodiments that feature use of the simplified control panel on oneor more of the switch modules, the simplified panel may have the asmaller footprint and reduced switch control capability like those ofthe socket module, therefore having only two touch pad switches for loadcontrol actions. The simplified control panel may be sized so as tofully cover a one-gang or two-gang electrical box, for example having aminimum width of 10 centimeters and minimum height of 8 centimeters, butnot large enough to cover three or four gang boxes that can be coveredwith the larger touchscreen panel. In one embodiment, the simplifiedswitch panel lacks an on-board camera, therefor making it suitable foruse in rooms where the owner does not want cameras present for privacyreasons (washrooms, bedrooms, etc.). Many homes tend to use larger threeor four gang electrical boxes only in larger open areas where multiple,separately switchable lighting fixtures are present. Single-gangswitches are typically used in smaller areas such as bedrooms, whereoften only a single lighting circuit is employed. Two-gang boxes arecommonly employed in bathrooms to allow separate switching of a singlelighting circuit and a separate dedicated circuit for a bathroom exhaustfan. The smaller simplified switch panel is therefore suitable for usein such smaller areas of a building, thereby avoiding camera privacyconcerns, reducing expense by not including a touch-screen at everysingle control point or node in the system, and accommodating forsituations where there is insufficient wall space to accommodate thelarger touchscreen control panel (e.g. at a single or double gangelectrical box mounted closely adjacent to wall-mounted doorway casing).

A central control unit (not shown) may be connected to the switch andsocket modules of the system, thereby forming a star network in whichcommunications between the switch and socket modules occur via thecentral control unit. In one embodiment, a security mode of the systemcan be initiated by a user, during which the microphone and/orproximity/movement sensor of each control panel monitor for signs of abreak-in or other security intrusion. Unlike conventional alarm systemsin which the sensors are typically stand-alone units with no localsignal processing, the local software and processor(s) of the controlpanel can perform local signal processing to try and rule out falsealarms and better distinguish actual alarm-worthy events from amongother recorded audio signals.

Upon confirming an intrusion or other alarm-worthy event, the controlpanel activates its built-in camera and may also begin storing incomingaudio signals from the microphone in order to create a visual andaudible recording of the alarm-worthy event, for example to aidpotential identification of the intruder during in any subsequentinvestigation by a homeowner, security personnel, or law enforcementagency. The control panel may also activate all of the electronicswitches of the connected switch module in order to turn on any and alllights connected thereto, and emit an audible alarm from its speaker(s).The audible alarm may include a siren, and/or other sounds intended todeter would-be burglars or other unauthorized parties from entering thepremises, for example playback of a recorded or simulated dog barkingaudio. Upon local detection of an alarm-worthy event by one controlpanel, and outgoing alarm confirmation signal is sent from that controlpanel, via the respective switch module connected thereto, through thepower line carrier network in order to activate the lights, alarm andrecording functions at all of the other control panels in the network,for example via the central control unit. The central control unit maybe connected to a larger network, e.g. the internet, and configured tosend an alarm notification alert to a mobile device (e.g. mobile phone,tablet computer, etc.) via SMS message, email, automated phone call,etc.

The system may be used to stream music or other audio to one or more ofthe control panels for playing through the on-board stereo speakersthereof. Music streaming can be from local or Internet sources. Audiofiles can be stored on a separate device (e.g. personal audio device,smartphone, external hard drive etc.) which has access to the localsystem network, for example by way of wireless (e.g. wifi or Bluetooth)communication with one of the control panels, or wired or wirelessconnection with the central controller. Files are played by streamingthese files locally over the power-line Ethernet, or wirelessly (e.g.via Bluetooth or WiFi) to the control panels. Alternatively, music canbe streamed over the Internet from a third party service. Music playbackcan be synchronized across multiple control panels by having a singlecontrol panel acts as a central point which distributes and synchronizesplayback one, some or all other control panels, thereby enablingsimultaneous broadcast of the audio in multiple rooms each having one ormore switch or socket modules, and associated control panels, therein.The speakers also enable the system to make audible announcements, forexample in response to voice-command requests by a user that aredetected by the microphone of a control panel and recognized byvoice-recognition software running on the control panel. Suchvoice-recognition functionality of the control panels also enablesvoice-control over the electronic switches and other functions of theswitch modules.

The power line communication between the switch and socket modules ofthe system not only enables remote-control of an electronic switch froma location other than the particular switch module in which thatelectronic is found, but also enables room-wide or building-widepre-sets to be programmed and easily recalled. To elaborate, the systemmay store one or more ‘local pre-sets’, i.e. a pre-set that determinesthe status of one or more loads connected to a single switch or socketmodule, and ‘wide’ or ‘global’ pre-sets, i.e. a pre-set that determinesthe status of loads connected to a plurality of different switch and/orsocket modules at different locations throughout a building. In oneembodiment, the touch-screen display of a touch-screen control panel isreadily changeable between a ‘switching’ mode showing a bank ofmanipulatable virtual switches, a ‘local pre-set’ mode showing a bank ofselectable local pre-sets, and a ‘global pre-set mode’ showing a bank ofselectable global pre-sets. In the embodiment in which the bank ofvirtual switches are shown as respective elongated rectangular blocks,local pre-sets and global pre-sets may be displayed as bordered areaswhose shapes are distinct from one another and from the visual switches,e.g. square areas for local pre-sets and circular areas for globalpre-sets. Selecting a pre-set by touch may changes the fill-colour orbrightness of the selected pre-set in order to visually confirm theselection, just like the toggling of the virtual switches between ‘on’and ‘off’ states that is confirmed by a visual change in the fill-colouror brightness of the rectangular virtual switch.

Pre-sets may include additional settings beyond mere lighting or loadcontrol functions that switch the electronic switches between intopredetermined on, off states or dimmed states. For example, a global‘away’ pre-set for activation when leaving the premises may activate thealarmed security mode of the system, while also turning off all thelights, setting a predetermined selection of lights into the ‘on’ stateto simulate the presence of one or more people at the unoccupiedbuilding, or executing a sequence of scheduled lighting controls (i.e.periodically switching one or more select lights off, and then switchingone or more other lights on) that are intended to more realisticallysimulate a personal presence in the building rather than merely settinga static continually-on condition of one or more lights. Such ascheduled sequence may be programmed, or ‘learned’ by the system bymonitoring the on and off states among the electronic switches of thesystem at times outside of the ‘away’ mode of operation. Pre-sets mayalso incorporate other functions described herein, for example streamingof music to all or a user-selected subset of the total number of controlpanels in the overall system, and/or controlling the wall illuminationfunction of one or more control panels. Pre-sets may include‘entertainment’ pre-sets incorporating both lighting effects and musicplayback.

The use of a central control unit also enables connection of additionalequipment or auxiliary systems that can then be controlled via thecontrol panels of the present invention without need to provideadditional wiring beyond the existing building wiring that is used toconnect the switch and socket modules. For example, a furnace, airconditioner, humidifier, dehumidifier, and/or other HVAC or climatecontrol equipment, can be connected to the central module, whereby thetemperature sensors at the control panels can be used to implement aprogrammable thermostat and/or zone-based climate control functionalityof the system, with optional humidity control via an included humiditysensor, thereby providing a more complete whole-home automation system.

Other functional aspects that can be incorporated into the systeminclude calendar and event tracking functionality in which events can beentered through the touch-screen user interface and/or voice-recognitionfunctionality, and intercom functionality using the microphones of thecontrol panels (and optionally the cameras thereof if at least one ofthe control panels being used for an intercom communication has atouch-screen or other visual display).

While the forgoing embodiments incorporate the power line communicationtransceiver and associated first processor, the power meteringcomponents and the associated second processor, and a DC power supplyfor these processors incorporated within the switch module, thesecomponents may alternatively be incorporated into the panel, in whichthe case the male connector and female port on the panel and switchmodule for power and data connection therebetween are adapted to provideAC power to the panel.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein abovedescribed, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same madewithin the scope of the claims without departure from such scope, it isintended that all matter contained in the accompanying specificationshall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

1. An electronic system for use in a building, the electronic systemcomprising: a plurality of nodes installed at various locationsthroughout the building; each node comprising: a wall-mounted unitsupported by an in-wall electrical box of a mains-power wiring system ofthe building; a connection inside said in-wall electrical box betweenthe wall-mounted unit and said mains-power wiring system of thebuilding; a power line communications transceiver by which the node cancommunicate with the other nodes of the system through said connectionto the mains-power wiring system of the building; and at least onespeaker; wherein the nodes are operable in a music playing mode in whichmusic data is streamed over the mains-power wiring system to the powerline communications transceivers of two or more nodes in different roomsof the building for simultaneous audio playback in said different roomsthrough the speakers of said two or more nodes.
 2. An electricallighting device for installation at an in-wall electrical box, theelectrical lighting device comprising: a mounting unit arranged forcoupling to the in-wall electrical box; a panel mountable over an openfront of the in-wall electrical box and the mounting unit coupledthereto; and a plurality of light sources carried by the panel andpositioned to emit light from perimeter edges of the panel to provide awall illumination effect on a wall surface surrounding the control paneland the electrical box.